In 2013 President Obama was considering air strikes in Syria. A national poll conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News showed that 38% of Democrats and 22% of Republicans favored such action. Last week, following the actual air strike on a Syrian airport, the same pollsters asked the same question. 37% of Democrats and 86% of Republicans said yes, the air strike was a good idea.

Notice that the Democrats were very consistent but the Republicans have done an amazing about face. Is the Republican change due to something different in Syria? Not likely, since little has changed. No, the difference is that the Republicans make up their minds on an irrelevant basis. A Republican president is right while the same action by a Democrat is wrong.